And then she met Lucy
by AlessanaVargas
Summary: A/U: A nervous 7-year-old Quinn Fabray moves to Lima, where she meets Rachel and become friends right away. The story follows the arch of their friendship throughout the years.
1. Chapter 1

"Who is that?"

It's the first day of second year in elementary school and it is chaos, twenty 7-year-olds running and screaming in a classroom full of new toys; most of them have known each other basically since they were born, Lima is not a really large city, -one could say it barely qualifies as a city at all, so it's been the same group of kids since forever and whenever there's someone new its unavoidable that they draw attention to themselves, even when it's obvious that they don't want it (especially if they don't want it, kids don't always understand the concept of "privacy"), and they particularly draw attention to themselves when they are a tiny, blonde little girl wearing a perfect little pink dress with matching ribbon and shoes, who has a very frightened look on her face, more so because since the moment she walked in she had been caught up by a tiny girl with deep brown eyes and long locks that matched the color.

"Britt, who is that?"

A skinny blonde girl with freckles on her nose and her hair up in a loose ponytail shrugged, she was too busy playing with a couple of toy horses to be distracted at the moment.

"Do you know- "

"No, I don't, but miss Davies will let us know when class starts."

An energetic, Latina girl had cut her off before she finished the question, she wasn't trying to be rude though, she was only hurrying to sit next to the blonde girl playing with the horses.

"Just go and ask her, you know you are going to anyways."

A boy with rosy cheeks and a funny hat stood by her, his arms folded in front of him, and his head tilted slightly to the right.

So, the tiny brunette girl raised her chin, wiggled her shoulders and confidently walked up to where the scared little girl in the pink dress was standing. She hovered over her for a few seconds, waiting on her to raise up her eyes to start talking, when she realizes that that wasn't going to happen she cleared her throat before presenting herself, with a perfect –probably too perfect- enunciation for a 7-year-old.

"Hello, my name is Rachel Berry, I like singing and dancing and I have two gay dads and Miss Davis says you can't make fun of me for that."

Rachel Berry waited patiently, or as patiently as a toddler is able to wait before her foot started tapping on the floor. She saw the girl moving the tip of her right foot, slowly and almost imperceptible and thought that maybe she was coming on too strong, being the new kid was probably really difficult, so she tried again, softer this time.

"Hey, I'm Rachel and I'd like us to be friends. Can you tell me your name...? Please?"

The blonde girl slowly raised her head until Rachel was able to see into her eyes, the greenest eyes she had ever seen, but also they kind of had like a honey color, she liked them. She smiled at the girl, waiting until she saw a tiny smile creeping up.

"Hi, I'm Quinn. Quinn Fabray, I uhm… I like to draw and I like bunnies, my mom makes great pies and my dad is a Republican, but I don't know what that means."

Rachel frowns, she knows she has heard that word before and she knows it doesn't make Dad or Daddy happy, but she just raises her shoulders and continues to smile.

"I don't know what that means either, but I think that you and I are going to be good friends."

Quinn smiles so that a row of perfect, white teeth show.

"Hi, kids!"

"Hello, Miss Davis"

All 20 children greet their teacher as loudly and out of synch as possible, making Quinn cover her ears with her hands which made Rachel giggle and grab her hand.

"Come sit with me, Quinn."

Rachel Berry is too small to contain her excitement at having a new friend, her legs aren't long enough yet to touch the floor while she's sitting in her desk and she just keeps swinging them back and forward, she could very well be bouncing from all the excitement but she has been told many, many times that there is a proper way of behaving at school so, she channels all her extra energy into moving her legs back and forward. It's not like she doesn't have any friends, everyone is friends with everyone in elementary school, it's just that she doesn't really have her own friend and she thinks that, maybe, Quinn could be that friend, if she behaves like she should.

"Hey, Quinn? Did you bring any lunch? Because if you didn't, I always have a little bit extra just in case anyone else forgets."

"Rachel, you know you're not supposed to talk during class, right?"

Rachel quickly turned to look at the teacher at the front of the class and blushed a little bit at having been caught talking.

"Yes, Miss Davis. I'm sorry."

Miss Davis smiled at her gently while shaking her head, as a teacher who knows the year has just begun and she will be having a lot of that.

"Okay, we don't want to distract our new friend and make her miss something important now, do we?"

"No, Miss Davis."

"Okay, good. Now, Quinn, honey, let's introduce you to the rest of the class, okay? Come on forward!"

Miss Davis gestured Quinn to go to the front of the class and Rachel could tell she didn't really want to do it so she nudged her with her shoulder just a little bit, hoping to give her a little bit of confidence, and she smiled when Quinn stood up slowly and walked between the desks to get to the front of the class. Rachel thought Quinn didn't look like the type of girl who should be afraid of anything, she was pretty (maybe even prettier than Brittany), and her dress was so pink and pretty. The little brunette girl looked down at her own dress, blue with white polka dots, and to her own little white shoes and smiled because she really thought her clothes were cute, but they weren't perfect like Quinn's.

"So, Quinn, tell the class a little bit about yourself."

Rachel didn't think it was possible, but Quinn looked even smaller when she had everyone's attention, and that is literally everyone, nothing gets children's attention like a new kid in class; she felt a little bit bad for Quinn, she was standing in front of everyone with her head hanging a little bit, her hands on her back and she kept moving her right leg, she looked very obviously nervous.

"It's okay, Quinn. They don't bite…"

Miss Davis looked at a boy sitting on the front row, right in front of her desk, a brunette kid with a look that showed he was trying very hard to look tough.

"Well, only if you get too close to some of them."

They all laughed and Quinn smiled a little.

"Why don't you start telling us your name, your parents' names, where are you from and what is your favorite color."

Quinn shifted her feet again but raised her head when she spoke.

"My name is Lucy Quinn Fabray, my mom's name is Judy and my dad's name is Russel, we are from Cleveland, Ohio, and my favorite color is pink."

Miss Davis smiled sweetly at her, but all Quinn saw was Rachel grinning and nodding.

"So, what do we tell our new classmate, kids?"

"Hi, Lucy"!

They all shouted at the top of their lungs, everyone at their own time so there was an echo for a couple of seconds once the last kid had stopped yelling.

"What is it, Lucy?"

Quinn was pursing her lips and was now playing nervously with her own tiny fingers.

"Uhm, I don't really like being called Lucy."

Miss Davis smiled and put, gently, put her hand on Quinn's shoulder.

"Okay, we'll all call you Quinn then."

Quinn smiled, her biggest smiled so far and nodded quickly.

"Good! Now, go sit down so we can start the class."

While Quinn was walking back to her seat, Miss Davis started writing numbers and symbols on the blackboard.

"Hey, Quinn?"

Quinn had reached her seat and was getting, neatly covered, notebook and a perfectly sharpened pencil, when Rachel whispered the question (as quietly as she could).

"Why don't you like being called Lucy? It's such a pretty name."

Quinn shrugged her shoulders and bounced her head off of her left shoulder.

"My mom and dad call me that when I'm in trouble, so I don't like it very much."

Rachel scrunched up her nose and was about to speak when Miss Davis called out to her.

" _Rachel_ , what did we just say about speaking in class? Don't distract Quinn, okay? She needs to catch up."

Rachel nodded, apologized, and let Miss Davis speak and explain… for about 5 minutes before she turned to Quinn and told her:

"Well, I think it's unacceptable that such a pretty name is related to a bad thing, so I'm going to call you Lucy for ever so it will be a happy name too."

Rachel nodded, mostly to herself, she saw a little smile on Quinn's face and felt satisfied with herself, she had a new friend and it was going to be the best school year ever.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: On an unrelated note, and because y'all have been asking, there** _ **is**_ **a What Matters Most update on the way.**

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"Lucy! Come on! Let's go!"

Rachel is pulling at Quinn's arms as the little girl tries to put all her school supplies in her little white backpack. She was so excited she kept jumping and pulling at her friend, without realizing she was making it almost impossible for the other kid to put all her things away.

"Come on, Lucy, my dads are here!"

"Wait, Rach, I need to put all my colors in the pencil case, my mom will get mad if I lose any. Stop pulling at my arm for a minute, please."

Rachel did let go but kept jumping on her toes, she had never really had a friend over to her house and Quinn's dad had given her permission to spend that afternoon with he so she had been a little ball of excited energy all day long.

"Are you ready? Lucy, are you ready?"

Quinn didn't answer and Rachel worried, for a moment, that she was making her friend angry but she was able to see her smiling and felt better.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Rachel squealed and pulled Quinn from her elbow all the way to her dad, who was already waiting for them, she only let go of her friend's arm to jump into her dad's arms.

"Daddy!"

"Hi, sunshine! How was school?"

Rachel received a large and noisy kiss on the cheek that made her giggle, and Quinn looked down to her feet, as if her light blue shoes were the most interesting thing at the moment.

"It was really good, but I'm glad it's finally over."

The tall man put Rachel down and looked to Quinn's direction.

"Honey? Are you going to introduce your friend?"

He gestured with is hand and Rachel gasped, shocked at her own lack of manners.

"Yes. I'm sorry, daddy. I just got really excited to see you. This is my friend Lucy."

Quinn straightened up, as much as her short height allowed her, squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and extended a perfectly firm arm towards the Berry man.

"Hello, sir. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Thank you for inviting me into your home."

Rachel's dad lifted an eyebrow in surprise at the politeness from the little girl in front of him, he squatted to be able to be at the same height and extended his arm in return and stretched Quinn's little hand.

"It's very nice to meet you, Lucy. Please, call me Hiram."

Quinn smiled, her most perfect (and maybe a little practiced) smile and, in a very polite way said:

"My father says it's not polite to call people who are older than me by their first name, but thank you, Mr. Berry."

Before Hiram could say anything, Rachel had already reached her friend and, as she guided her to the car, she told Quinn that it was okay for her to call her daddy but his first name.

"He's not really _that_ old anyway."

Hiram opened the back door for both of them and made sure they had fastened their seatbelts before taking his place in the driver's seat.

"So, Lucy, I would like to know more about your family, what do your parents do?"

"Oh! No, daddy. Lucy only lets me call her by that name, you can call her Quinn though, that's okay."

It was said so nonchalantly that it seemed as it was not important, and even though Hiram thought it to be unusual he decided not to press the issue, maybe he'd just ask Quinn's parents about it.

"Okay then, Quinn, what do your parents do?"

Quinn bit her lower lip and wiggled her feet a little before answering.

"My father works at an office, I'm not sure what he does, he doesn't really tell us but mom says he's an important person, and my mom stays at home and makes really good pies."

"That's really nice, Quinn, maybe one day we'll all be able to try one of your mom's pies."

Quinn smiled, for real this time, and Rachel clapped in excitement.

"Yes, Lucy! I love pie!"

"Really? What's your favorite?"

"Cherry! Yours?"

"I like blue berry pie, but my father says I can't have that because I'll just stain the dresses he worked so hard for."

Hiram was observing the exchange from the rearview mirror and although he felt happy for his daughter, that she finally seemed to have made a good friend, he was a little concerned about the little girl besides her, it seemed to him that, maybe, she wasn't being allowed to fully be herself.

15 minutes later they finally made it to Rachel's house, in what, according to her:

"Took an eternity."

Rachel all but dragged Quinn upstairs to her bedroom, both girls giggling and skipping through the steps all the way to Rachel's room.

"Rachel, honey, remember to leave your door open so that you can hear when I call you both down for lunch, okay?"

"Yes, daddy!"

Both girls played happily for two hours until Hiram called to let them know lunch was ready.

"Are you girls having fun?"

Quinn smiled and nodded while Hiram served them spaghetti.

"Yes, daddy! I've already introduced Lucy to all my toys, and I showed her my favorite movies and she told me hers, and we played with my coffee set, and actually we were about to have some cookies when you called us."

The man laughed as he sat down at the table too.

"Well, I'm glad you girls are enjoying yourself, and I hope you like lunch. I'm not as good at cooking as LeRoy…"

"My dad."

"But I have never received any complaints about my pasta making skills."

Quinn carefully twirled her fork in the pasta and took a perfectly sized portion, chewed slowly and repeated; Hiram looked at her and then at his daughter and even though Rachel had amazing table manners but a small, and energetic, kid like her, he did notice how Quinn's manners seemed too rehearsed, like what he imagined High Estate dinners are with royals.

About 20 minutes into lunch, and 4 different stories Rachel half told Quinn – because she kept getting distracted –, they heard a car parking outside and then the door opening.

"Dad!"

Rachel jumped out of her chair and ran to the front door, followed closely by Hiram and then Quinn who walked out of the kitchen just in time to see a black man walk into the door and Rachel jumping into his arms and then being twirled around.

"Hey, baby girl! I missed you."

He gave her a kiss on the forehead and put her down.

"Hey, darling."

Hiram gave Rachel's dad a tight embrace and Quinn shifted a little bit in her place, which Hiram noticed and he stepped away a little bit from his husband and pointed at Quinn.

"We have a visitor today."

"Oh, do we? Who is this lovely young girl?"

He walked up to girl and bent over to be almost at her height.

"Hello, sir. My name is Quinn."

He also was greeted with a hand shake and a polite smile.

"It's very nice to meet you, Quinn. You can call me LeRoy, though."

"No, dad. Lucy's father says it's not polite to call older people by their first name, even though I told her you are not _that_ old."

Rachel shrugged and Quinn seemed a little bit embarrassed.

"Is it, dad?"

"Is it what, honey?"

"Is it not polite to do that? Because I only not call my teachers by their first name and I don't want to not be polite."

LeRoy smiled warmly at his daughter and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'll explain all about it later, okay?"

Rachel was about to ask why but LeRoy beat her at speaking.

"I'm so hungry! I haven't eaten since breakfast and it smells like daddy's famous pasta. Why don't you girls go ahead and daddy and I will be there in a moment?"

"Okay."

Both girls walked back to the kitchen and resumed their eating; they were later joined by Rachel's dads and finished lunch while LeRoy told Hiram about his day at work.

"Thank you, Mr. Berry. The food was delicious."

"I'm glad you liked it, Quinn. Please, just leave your plates there and we will pick them up, you can go upstairs to play a little bit more."

Quinn was unsure, she hesitated with her plate in her hand and both Berry men noticed it.

"It's Hiram's turn to wash the dishes, it's okay."

Quinn nodded and left her plates on the kitchen table, almost dropping them because Rachel was pulling at her arm so they could go back to her room. When they were almost out the door, Hiram called Quinn.

"Hey, Quinn, before you girls run up to play, I just realized we don't know your parents' name."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry. My parents are Judy and Russel Fabray."

Both men tried their best to remain unfazed but something caused an impact; LeRoy was the one who spoke again.

"Oh. Your father is Russel Fabray?"

Quinn nodded and straightened up a little.

"Why do you ask, daddy? Do you, or dad, know him?"

"No, honey, we've just heard the name. He's a, uhm… a renowned lawyer."

Quinn smiled a little at the compliment and both girls left.

"That explains some things, doesn't it?"

Hiram nodded at his husband with a sad look upon his face.

"Poor kid, let's just hope…"

"Yeah."

"So, Lucy, have you ever seen a musical?"

"No, not really. My father says musicals are a waste of time."

Rachel gasped in shock, a completely honest gasp that had her taking one hand to her chest and the other one to her mouth.

"No way!"

Quinn shrugged and looked at her feet, Rachel started then to realize that whenever Quinn felt out of place, or judged, or just in a situation she wasn't used to, she would always look down to her feet.

"Well, would you like to see one?"

The little blonde girl nodded her head slowly without looking up.

"Perfect!"

Rachel clapped her hands before grabbing Quinn by the hand and pulling her to her bed.

"I have a lot of them, but since you haven't seen any, I say we begin with a classic."

The girl put Mary Poppins inside de DVD player and sat in her bed, next to a bashfully smiling Quinn.

Two and a half hours later, Rachel was turning off the TV and DVD player and looked ready to ask Quinn a billion questions about it.

"Rachel! Quinn's parents are here!"

Quinn's smile fell and her posture slouched.

"I don't wanna go home, I like it here."

Rachel felt sad too, but decided not to show it so that Quinn wouldn't get sadder.

"Don't worry, you can come every day! There are a lot of musicals to see! We can keep it a secret."

Quinn smiled, a little, and nodded, she didn't seem too convinced if anyone asked Rachel though.

"Let's go down stairs before my father gets upset."

Rachel grabbed Quinn's hand and as they went downstairs, Quinn heard her mom's voice and stiffened a little.

"You have a lovely home."

They arrived downstairs just in time to see both pair of parents standing in front of each other, but really far away too.

"Thank you, Mrs. Fabray."

Russell turned to look at Quinn's and Rachel's hands joined together, and then at Rachel's parents.

"Father, these are Mr. and Mr. Berry, Rachel's dad."

Russell nodded, slowly, his lips pursed tightly and his left eyebrow raised.

"I see."

Quinn let go of Rachel's hand and put her hands behind her back, straightening her back.

"Mr. and Mr. Berry, this is my father, Russell, and my mother, Judy."

Both Berry men took a moment before Hiram extended his arm to Quinn's father.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Fabray."

Quinn saw as her father looked at Hiram's extended hand without taking it, she felt worried, she knew the look on her father's face from Christmas parties when he had to greet her mother's brothers whom he didn't like, and she really wanted him to like the Berry men so that she could go there often. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Russell shook Hiram's hand, very, very briefly and then let go.

"Quinn, say goodbye and get your things."

"Yes, father."

"Now."

The Fabray's went out the door without saying another word and left the door open for Quinn, who was very aware that the Berry family was looking at her, so she straightened up and smiled, a large grateful smile.

"Thank you for a lovely evening. I'll see you at school, Rach."

Hiram gave her backpack, put his hand on her shoulder and kneeled to be at her same height.

"It has been lovely meeting you, we loved having you here, you can come whenever you want. Okay?"

Quinn nodded and thanked them again before she turned around, she felt Rachel hugging her and she felt a little bit better.

"Bye, Lucy. I'll see you at school."

Quinn smiled and nodded, and then walked out the door and into her father's car, she had barely closed the door when her father spoke.

"You are not coming back to this house."

Quinn frowned, they had been really nice to her and even her mother had liked their house.

"But…"

"No buts, Quinn. This is final."

Quinn said okay and looked out her window, and saw a smiling Rachel waving at her as they drove away.


	3. Chapter 3

Rachel was worried, Quinn hadn't been herself ever since she went to her house; she was also confused because she honestly thought they had had a good time and that Quinn had enjoyed herself. But Quinn had been quiet, more than usual, and even though she was smiling Rachel could tell that she was sad, her eyes didn't smile when her mouth did. She wanted so bad to ask her what happened but she was a little bit scared that maybe it was that she didn't want to be her friend anymore, and well, now Rachel was sad too so she didn't really play during recess and she didn't get excited when the teacher told them they could draw for the remainder of the day.

She and Quinn sat in their seats, next to each other, not really talking and not really drawing either. So after a long time of silence –a long time according to a 7-year-old Rachel Berry–, Rachel turned around, with her biggest, brighter, most practiced smile and broke the silence.

"Lucy, if you don't want to be friends anymore I understand, I am aware that not everyone might be okay with me having two dads and not a dad and a mom, so if you don't feel comfortable being my friend anymore don't feel bad, but I would appreciate it if you told me. Honesty is important, you know?"

Rachel waited, but when Quinn remained silent she started talking again.

"Or, maybe it's just me. Some classmates, and even some teachers, have said I talk too much, and that sometimes I'm too loud and a little intense, so maybe you just don't want to be my friend anymore because of that."

Quinn looked up and turned to Rachel so quick that she startled the little brunette girl.

"No, Rach. That's not true. You are my best friend and I want you to always be my best friend, and I really like your dads, they're kind and sweet and they were really nice to me."

"So, what is it, Lucy? Did you not like going to my house? Because if you didn't like it you can tell me and we can go to your house instead or-"

Quinn looked away and said, sadly.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why?"

Quinn shrugged and kept her eyes away from Rachel's.

"My father said I wasn't allowed to go to your house anymore. He didn't really say why but he looked a little upset when he said it and I am not to argue with him about his decisions."

Rachel slumped a little, she was trying to come up with a good reason as to why Russel Fabray didn't want her going to her house anymore.

"Is it, because of my dads?"

Quinn shrugged.

"But…"

Rachel's voice was softer than usual, maybe a little insecure.

"But, you still wanna be friends?"

After about 5 seconds, Quinn met Rachel's eyes again and nodded shyly, making the little girl smile. Rachel took Quinn's hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Then we will be best friends forever, Lucy. No matter what anyone says."

Quinn smiled, and this time Rachel felt happy because her friend's beautiful hazel eyes were smiling too. She knew that they would really be friends forever.


End file.
